Self-locking hinge



Jan. 12, 1954 M. J. DE LEONARDIS SELF-LOCKING HINGE Filed Aug. 25, 1949 INVENTOR.

ll/lt'l/A'l. d DILEONARO/S A 7'TOR/VEX5 Patented Jan. 12, 1954 U N I T E D S TATES T OFF l-LCE SELF-LOCKING HINGE Michael J. ,De Leonardis, Yalley:Stneam,N.I.

Application August '25, 1949;8eria'lNo. 112,365

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to an improvement in hinges and is particularly adaptable to the type of hinge used on articles of luggage such as trunks and suitcases.

it is a purpose of the present invention to ;pro vide a hinge between the cover or lid of a trunk or suitcase and the main body thereof which will lock the cover or lid in an open position .but which by the exertion of aslight force by the user may be readily released.

In suitcases, trunks and other similar receptacles it is common practice to provide a :collapsible arm usually located atone of the ends .of the receptacle which may be locked into position by the user to hold the :cover :or lid in fully open position. When it isdesired to close the cover or lid, the user must release this arm from its locked position. The use of such an arm is necessary because many times the distribution of weight in the cover is such that it would ordinarily return to a closed position by force of gravity unless positively held in its open position. zSuch devices as these have two inherent disadvantages: Firstly, they require an extra part, increasing both the expense of manufacture and weight of the article to which they are applied and, secondly, they require the user to go to extra effort to release them when it is desired to close the receptacle. In the arrangement of my invention both of these disadvantages are overcome by the use of a self-locking hinge which increases the cost and weight of an ordinary hinge but slightly and which does not require the user to release a separate device.

The general object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a hinge particularly adapted to traveling cases such as suitcases and trunks but readily usable .on various other boxes and receptacles which is self-locking whenxthe cover or lid is in .an open position but which is readily releasable by the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for looking a hinge in an open position and means for readily releasing it therefrom.

Further purposes and advantages of my invention will appear from the specification and claims herein. The invention is clearly illus trated in the drawings accompanying this spectfication in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hinge in open position;

Fig. 2 is a back or outside view of the hinge in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a front or inside view of the hinge in closed position;

Each of the two' leaves l0 and H ofthe hinge of my improveddes'i-gn is provided with a raised portion l2 spaced at a distance from the pintle 13 and preferably spaced equally distant from the lateral edges of the hinge. Each raisedportion 12 has .a pair of parallel -slots H extending for appreciably "the entire length 01 raised portions ['2 and separated by the'hinge 'body portion or strip [211.

A locking strap 15 is provided for each hinge and is constructed as is most clearly shown in Fig. 5. Locking strap t5 has a back portion or Web [6 connecting two side portions 11 forming a generally channel-shaped member. Side portions 11 extend beyond the ends of back portions [6, as may be seen in Fig.4, and=terminate in rounded end portions 18. Each rounded end portion 18 is provided near its center with a'suitable hole or other means to receive the ends of a pin [9 which are secured to rounded end por tions I8 in any suitable manner. Pins l9 thus form a transverse bar or link between opposite rounded end portions I8. Attached to each leaf l0 and H of the hinge at the end thereof near pintle I3 is a leaf spring 20 which is slightly bent or curved along a substantial'por'tion of its length. "Leaf springs '20 are firmly secured to their respective hingeleaves lll and ll to the end thereof adjacent pintle 13 by means of rivets or in any other suitable manner. leaf springs 20 are bent at their other ends to 'form semi-cincular recesses 22. The length of springs 20 is such that recesses 22 are approximately positioned .at theend of parallel slots 14 when springs 18 'arerivetedinplace.

In assembling the hinge, looking strap 1 5 be fore pins I9 have been inserted therein is held in position so that looking strap end portions [8 fit into slots l4. Pins I9 are then inserted in rounded end portions 18 through suitable holes 23 (see Fig. 3) in the sides of raised portions l2 and pins l9 are clinched or otherwise secured in the holes in rounded end portions I8. Their position then is, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, such that pins I!) ride between leaf springs 20 and the center portion I2a of raised portions l2. It now may be readily seen that locking strap [5 is slide ably secured to the hingeand that ,roundedend. portions I8 thereof are free to slide in parallel" slots [4 as either of the hinge leaves It! or II are rotated around pintle 13. However, when pins [9 reach recesses 22 in the ends of leaf springs 20, they are locked in that position unless enough force is exerted in a direction tending to move the hinge to its closed position to overcome the pressure of springs 20 against pins 19 and thus release pins [9 from recesses 22.

Side portions 11 of strap 15 are provided at their centers with notches 24 to permit locking strap to fit closely over the portions of hinge leaves and H which are bent around pintle l3 and thus to allow locking strap to rest flatly against the main portion of the hinge when it is in its open position.

The hinge is provided with a number of suitable holes 25 by means of which it may be attached to the suitcase, trunk or other receptacle by rivets, screws, or in any other desirable and suitable manner.

It should be noted that the length of locking strap l5 should be such that pins I9 rest freely near the inner ends, that is, the ends near the pintle 33 of parallel slots l4 when the hinge is in its open position and that the length or" back portion l6 of locking strap 15 which, as is pointed out above does not extend as far as the rounded end portions iii of locking strap 15, should be sufliciently cut back from hinged end portions 18 to permit pins l9 to slide far enough in slots I4 to engage recesses 22 in springs 20. Further, the parts of the hinge should be so proportioned that when pins l9 engage recesses 22 of leaf springs 20 the hinge leaves iii and H are substantially at right anges to each other.

It is obvious from the above descriptions that the pressure of leaf springs 20 is sufiicient to hold the hinge in its open position against any force exerted on it such as the weight of the lid or cover itself, whether merely a plain lid or cover or one containing compartments for packingclothes or whatever articles are placed in the receptacle, but is not sufficient to hold the hinge in its open position when force is exerted at the unhinged end of the lid or cover by one desir ing to close the suitcase, trunk or other receptacle.

In the example shown herein the proportioning of the parts is such that the hinge is selflocking when it is in its fully open position. It is obvious, however, that, if it is desired to'limit the opening of a'cover or lid so that it is less than the usual 90 angle, this may be accomplished by the hinge disclosed in the present specification merely by altering the length of the leaf springs 20 or the position of the recesses 22 therein, or i tudinally extending slots, spaced apart and defining between them a center strip forming part of said elevated portion, and a locking strap comprising spaced parallel side portions and a web portion, said side portions having end extensions extending beyond the respective extremities of said web portion, said end extensions being spaced apart to bridge said strips and to project into said slots respectively, leaf spring members mounted on the under side of each of said hinge members, each having a recess at one end, and means for mounting said spring members on said leaves respectively overlying the said strip portions of said leaves respectively, and each fixed at one end adjacent said pintle leaving the recessed end free, and pin means mounted between the extensions of the side portions of said locking strap at either end and disposed between the center strip of each leaf and the said spring member overlying it, whereby, when the leaves are bent at a predetermined angle the said pin means are engaged in the recesses of said spring members respectively.

2. A self-locking hinge comprising, a pair of hinge leaves rotatably mounted on a pintle, each of said leaves having a central elevated portion slotted with a pair of longitudinally extending slots spaced apart and defining between them a center strip forming part of said elevated portion, and a channel member comprising spaced parallel side portions and a web portion, said side portions having end extensions extending beyond the respective extremities of said web portion, said end extensions being spaced apart to bridge said strips and to project into said slots respectively, a pair of leaf spring members each having a recess at one end, and means for mounting said spring members on said leaves respectively with said members overlying the said strip portions of said leaves respectively, and each fixed at one end adjacent said pintle leaving the recessed end free, and pin means mounted between the extensions of the side portions of said channel member at either end of said member and disposed for sliding movement between the center strip of each leaf and the said spring member overlying it, whereby, when the leaves are bent at a predetermined angle the said pin means are engaged in the recesses of said spring members respectively.

MICHAEL J. DE LEONARDIS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 313,457 Tuerk Mar. 3, 1885 875,242 Corbin Dec. 31, 1907 1,942,860 Hummert Jan. 9, 1934 2,372,303 Thiele Mar. 27,1945 

